The most popular story from our newsletter this weekend was our featured piece, from @humantransit.bsky.social, on the political/financial crisis in public transit: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

For our latest newsletter, we look at the current challenges facing public transit, how it matters for health, and ways to think about the future, ft perspectives from @humantransit.bsky.social, @davidzipper.bsky.social & @henriettalmoore.bsky.social -- and more mailchi.mp/bd7c1161a908...

Best distillation I’ve seen about how to think about microbiome in health, from former @abbvie.bsky.social CMO Dr. Rob Scott

Company that delivers lifesaving meds and other medical supplies in Africa pivots to delivering burritos

also popular in our newsletter last week was this piece in the @nytimes.com on former FDA commissioner @davidakesslermd.bsky.social's effort to rein in ultraprocessed foods: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/u...

Another popular story from our newsletter last week was this piece, from @meeri.bsky.social on the curious case of low allergies among the Amish: www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

The most popular story in our newsletter last week was this piece, by Jordan Shlain, on how the key to longevity might actually be the friends in your life: medium.com/tincture/soc...

For our most recent newsletter, we were inspired by @tadfriend.bsky.social's @newyorker.com profile of the longevity movement & by John Kay’s writings on “obiquity.” We ask what it would take to achieve health by not focusing on it so much. mailchi.mp/cc9491e30ea8...

US kids more likely to die than in other OECD nations. Prematurity, SIDS (for <1 year), firearms and motor vehicle crashes (ages 1-19) are the main culprits. Big jump in kids with chronic conditions from 2011 to 2023. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Health in all design ... www.fastcompany.com/91377661/why...

Good overview of the many factors — personal, environmental and structural — that can affect sleep: www.vox.com/even-better/...

We make a regular practice of thanking people who help us pursue our mission of making everyday life healthy by design. Today, we send gratitude to @cgardnerphd.bsky.social, @claudia-williams.bsky.social, @gsgarrett.bsky.social and many more: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Slightly less — and still absurdly high: Americans Are Eating Slightly Less Ultraprocessed Food, C.D.C. Data Shows www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/w...

good resource

“Architectural Epidemiology” offers a radical prescription for cities: a new design framework that builds health into real estate. f-st.co/YbcDbNR

Good piece on the complexities of what’s changing in childhood. And data from actual kids. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Also very popular in our newsletter this weekend was this oldie but goodie, also from the Berkeley Media Studies Group, on how to make the case for addressing environmental drivers of health: www.bmsg.org/resources/pu...

The most popular story from our newsletter this weekend was this piece, from the Berkeley Media Studies Group, on the tension between American ideals of individualism and the essential roles of public health: medium.com/narrative-st...

Be sure to check out this essay, from co-founder @thgoetz.bsky.social, on individualism, the illusion of freedom of choice and how attaining health individually relies on working on our collective health, in our latest newsletter: mailchi.mp/d36856ac483d...

For our latest newsletter, we look at the iconic American phrase "freedom of choice" and explore its implications for our health. Plus, a new report from @deloitteinsights.bsky.social on food as medicine, a new design envisions entertainment that's actually healthy & more mailchi.mp/d36856ac483d...

"Given the strength of the scientific evidence and the urgency of the public-health costs, we urge the scientific community and policy makers to recognize the addictive potential of ultra-processed food and its consequences." www.nature.com/articles/s41...

helpful explainer…

Major systematic review of studies on steps and health outcomes. Sweet spot is around 7,000 steps, but the relationship is an association, not causation. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

When CSPI launched the Powerbuilding Program in 2022, we knew real change had to start with those closest to the challenges and the solutions. Explore our journey with our most recent cohort of partners, including their stories, learnings, and what it takes to build lasting food justice! 👇

Health taxes can be a powerful tool to reduce harmful product consumption and improve health outcomes. 👉 Register here: vitalstrat.org/44Qgj8U Join us for a virtual briefing to explore insights from our new publication: The Future of Health Financing in Africa: The Role of Health Taxes.

@stephenjdowns.bsky.social @buildingh.bsky.social

Hey look! Total sugar intake is associated with DECREASED diabetes risk. Total added sugar only associated with increase after 100g/day. Sugar from soda associated with increased risk. Which raises the question: is the sugar, or associated lifestyle issues? www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Excited to announce my new book FOOD INTELLIGENCE coauthored with brilliant journalist @juliabelluz.bsky.social‬! Cutting through the confusion about diet & health, #FoodIntelligence describes the fascinating science of how food both nourishes & harms us. www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/671334...

Fascinating. wapo.st/4eN2IDX

The mechanisms by which ultra-processed foods (UPF) drive obesity, an outstanding review article "the evidence is sufficiently strong to justify immediate public health efforts to reduce UPF consumption." www.nature.com/articles/s41...

1/3rd of US teens (>8 million kids) have prediabetes gis.cdc.gov/grasp/diabet...

Talked to Waymo about teens’ fears—of driving, of awkward small talk, of social FOMO—and if self-driving cars are part of a solution www.wired.com/story/the-te...

Decades of research have shown that, although short bursts of stress can be healthy, unrelenting stress contributes to heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory disorders, suicide https://go.nature.com/4lbvmkA

The U.S currently ranks at the bottom among wealthy nations on the mental well-being, physical health, and academic and social skills of children. This is the original research paper just out in @jama.com . A very important paper which should alarm us all. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

As US population level health data becomes ever-more unreliable … we are proud to unveil a new resource for families, policy makers, and healthcare providers @yalesph.bsky.social

A new survey found that biking is down -- way down -- among kids 7-17 over the last 30 years. "By adding more bike-friendly infrastructure—lower traffic speeds, separated bike lanes, calmer intersections—local governments could encourage children and other residents to start riding again. " Yup.

Why are Italians so much thinner than Americans? tl;dr - they eat less www.washingtonpost.com/food/2025/07...

The researchers concluded that “parents using active transport modes (walking or biking) consistently report healthier body mass index values, higher life satisfaction, greater travel satisfaction, and better academic performance in their children.” ssti.us/2025/06/30/f...

"Many Dutch children enjoy a freedom of movement that most American kids don’t, which might be the key to why Dutch kids are the happiest kids in the world..." www.cnn.com/2025/06/29/h...

The thing about car dependency is that we get told all the time that even if being forced to own a car is making *us* poorer, it's great for the U.S. economy on aggregate because everyone can make more money and buy more stuff. But it turns out when you run the numbers that's... not true at all.

Updating the risks of sugar sweetened beverages, processed meat and trans fatty acids for Type 2 diabetes, colon cancer and heart disease @naturemedicine.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41... www.nature.com/articles/s41...

As the nation’s cities bake under a heat dome, cooling becomes critical. New research shows that new types of unorthodox urban parks—think the High Line, capped highways, renovating vacant lots—can help combat urban heat islands. My latest for @fastcompany.com www.fastcompany.com/91355796/inn...

GenZ, or those in their 20s, are the future of the #GoodFood movement and critical to the future of food. On the latest episode of Flipping the Table, a podcast from PHI's @rootsofchange.bsky.social, the program's summer #GenZ Team shares their perspectives on the #FoodSystem.

Great to see greater recognition of the environments (in this case food) that drive chronic illness. But it's not just the food products that are responsible -- there's also entertainment, housing, transportation ... www.buildingh.org/index/2024

Protected bike lane mileage installed was significantly associated with bike commuter increases that were 52.5% stronger than standard bicycle lane mileage and 281.2% stronger than shared-lane marking mileage. www.nature.com/articles/s44...

We're always grateful for people who take time to contribute to our mission in large ways and small. This Friday, thanks go out to @joannecheung.com, @kimkater.bsky.social, @suewoods.bsky.social, @susannahrfox.bsky.social and many more: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

New Danish study concludes that traffic noise is killing people: "A 14.9 decibel increase in road traffic noise [outside the home] was associated ... with an 8.1% increased risk of all-cause mortality." Traffic noise was much deadlier than air pollution. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40403531/